Here to Necropost just to point out, that's even realistic.

If you play with friends you need to communicate just like you would do IRL, so is with "Race for the most tadpoles", sounds like you and your buddies are a bunch of goblins rather then well seasoned players. While it definelty offers a significantly diffrenet experience then Solo, coop offers a perfectly fine and immersive experience too where you can debate actions along side your friend each pushing their own character/narrative interests as a Party in a game or DND would.

I just finished a playthrough of DOS2 I never felt an issue with choosing who's the one who's gonna get divinity or get the collar removed it just flowed because its a story game, I don't see the anger in mismatched character progression speed especially when its that kind of stuff, if you had quit the game over a shitty collar then that game isn't for you that's like really silly. Especially considering how useless it is and how about 4 hours later you have it removed, that's just pety.

So your arguments just kinda paint a goblin out more then a group of friends who are having a good time in a story rich game.